Abstract
Despite advancements in early detection and treatment that have improved colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates, post-treatment experiences often leave unmet needs that affect health-related quality of life. There is a pressing need for scalable approaches to provide care support for survivors who have completed primary treatment. This study aimed to involve CRC survivors and healthcare professionals in designing a mobile app named FORYOU. The co-design methodology employed a collaborative, user-centred approach to app development. Over 8 weeks, four user-centred design (UCD) sessions were conducted with five CRC survivors (end-users), four survivorship professionals, and one IT expert. Four essential design features for the app were identified: a user-friendly interface, remembering login credentials, clear navigation, and engaging visual content in the form of videos. Additionally, four key content areas were highlighted: survivorship information (recognising signs of cancer recurrence, understanding symptoms of late side effects, guidance on physical exercise, nutrition, breathing exercises, and meditation), reminders (notifications for follow-up visits and app usage), a discussion forum (for peers and health providers to interact), and a survivorship care plan. Following the draft app design, it was tested by five CRC survivors and four survivorship professionals over one week using Android smartphones, achieving an average System Usability Scale with a mean of 77.78 (SD 6.67) (cutoff 68) and an Acceptability E-scale with a mean of 24.33 (SD 2.35) (cutoff 24). These findings suggest that the UCD process resulted in a valuable app prototype that addressed the needs of end users, increasing app usage. Future studies will examine the effectiveness of the FORYOU mHealth survivorship program with a more diverse population of CRC survivors.
Notes
References:
El-Shami, K., Oeffinger, K. C., Erb, N. L., Willis, A., Bretsch, J. K., Pratt-Chapman, M. L., Cannady, R. S., Wong, S. L., Rose, J., Barbour, A. L., Stein, K. D., Sharpe, K. B., Brooks, D. D., & Cowens-Alvarado, R. L. (2015). American Cancer Society Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines. CA Cancer J Clin, 65(6), 428-455. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21286
Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2023). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. John Wiley & Sons.
Husebø, A. L. M., Søreide, J. A., Kørner, H., Storm, M., Wathne, H. B., Richardson, A., Morken, I. M., Urstad, K. H., Nordfonn, O. K., & Karlsen, B. (2023). eHealth interventions to support colorectal cancer patients’ self-management after discharge from surgery—an integrative literature review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 32(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08191-7
Additional references included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Long-Term Care, Cancer Survivors, Survivorship, Colorectal Neoplasms, Mobile Applications
Recommended Citation
Vi, Do Pham Nhat; Tran, Nguyen Thi Que; Huong, Hoang Thi Xuan; Shishuang, Zhou; and Lee, Wong Cho, "Co-Design the “FORYOU” mHealth Survivorship Program with Colorectal Cancer Survivors" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 236.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/236
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-08-29
Co-Design the “FORYOU” mHealth Survivorship Program with Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Despite advancements in early detection and treatment that have improved colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates, post-treatment experiences often leave unmet needs that affect health-related quality of life. There is a pressing need for scalable approaches to provide care support for survivors who have completed primary treatment. This study aimed to involve CRC survivors and healthcare professionals in designing a mobile app named FORYOU. The co-design methodology employed a collaborative, user-centred approach to app development. Over 8 weeks, four user-centred design (UCD) sessions were conducted with five CRC survivors (end-users), four survivorship professionals, and one IT expert. Four essential design features for the app were identified: a user-friendly interface, remembering login credentials, clear navigation, and engaging visual content in the form of videos. Additionally, four key content areas were highlighted: survivorship information (recognising signs of cancer recurrence, understanding symptoms of late side effects, guidance on physical exercise, nutrition, breathing exercises, and meditation), reminders (notifications for follow-up visits and app usage), a discussion forum (for peers and health providers to interact), and a survivorship care plan. Following the draft app design, it was tested by five CRC survivors and four survivorship professionals over one week using Android smartphones, achieving an average System Usability Scale with a mean of 77.78 (SD 6.67) (cutoff 68) and an Acceptability E-scale with a mean of 24.33 (SD 2.35) (cutoff 24). These findings suggest that the UCD process resulted in a valuable app prototype that addressed the needs of end users, increasing app usage. Future studies will examine the effectiveness of the FORYOU mHealth survivorship program with a more diverse population of CRC survivors.
Description
Treatment of colorectal cancer has improved survival rates, the post-treatment experience remains underserved, impacting quality of life. This study developed a FORYOU mobile application to support survivors. A co-design approach identified four key features: a user-friendly interface, remembering login credentials, clear navigation, and engaging content. Future research will examine its effectiveness with a diverse user group.